Mono is Microsoft's .NET implementation on Linux. It came to us via Miguel
de Icaza who worked for GNOME, Novell and some say for Microsoft. He has
been called a visionary by some and a sell out or even traitor to free
software (Richard Stallman called him that). He has also given us Moonlight
or Silverlight for Linux. There is a theme here.

Mono apps are written in C#, but .NET apps don't work directly with Linux,
as far as I know. There is also a Mono version for the Mac in the works but
Steve Jobs does not want it. He has come out against Monotouch for the
iPhone.

Many Linux hardliners take exception to Mono on the grounds that it comes
from Microsoft and Microsoft alleges that Linux infinges on its IP. Mono's
license is extremely complicated, as it is actually released in parts under
various licenses. You need a law degree to understand if it is legal to use
Mono. All Microsoft will say on the subject is that Novell users are
protected due to their licensing arrangement with Microsoft. This is the
same agreement that made Novell a Linux pariah.

This is just too convenient for MS. If we use Mono it only gives them more
grounds for continuing their FUD campaign against Linux. It is very divisive
in the Linux community and as such it suits their purposes to keep us
sniping at one another. This is the main reason that I oppose Mono and see
it as a poison pill. Stallman urges developers to shun Mono because MS can
pull the rug under their feet at their whim. Even de Icaza has been critical
of Microsoft for not backing Mono and encouraging developers to use it.

Common Mono apps are Banshee, Beagle, Docky, Drapes, F-spot, Giver,
Gnome-Do, Monotouch, Muine, Pinta, Second Life, and Tomboy. Parts of
Evolution and several other programmes require Mono as well. They are mostly
part of GNOME because Miguel de Icaza was a GNOME co-founder. KDE is
Mono-free, although you can install it if you want. It is impossible to
install most GNOME distributions without having Mono installed. You can
remove it but it will be installed by default. That is like a vegetarian
being given a dish which has veggies and meat and being told that you can
remove the meat. That is just not acceptable to some, me included. That is
why I use KDE. I have GNOME on my netbook, but I installed Kubuntu and then
added GNOME but removed Mono before it downloaded. It is a roundabout way to
resolve the issue, but it is better than compromising one's values.

Several distributions have gone Mono-free or at least do not install it by
default. Fedora is the biggest name, but GnewSense and several smaller
distributions do not use Mono. I think that Debian makes it available but
does not install it by default, but I am unsure of that one.

Each user needs to make up his or her own mind. It is not something that we
should ignore. Be informed and do what you think is right.